Friday links for May 15th 2026

A little offering of links for you today:

1. Real signals or artificial stereotypes?

When asked to describe the differences between responses to a survey from multiple countries, Microsoft Copilot gave culturally stereotyped answers. But the survey responses were actually identical, they’d just been copy-pasted from one country to another. We've finally built machines in our own image: ready to stereotype entire nations without looking at the data.

2. Kids say they can beat age checks by drawing on a fake mustache

Just in case you were wondering how good age verification technology has become.

3. Taken

Not the movie with Liam Neeson being menacing on the phone. A site that shows you how easy it is to get a bunch of information from your browser. Usually enough to create a unique fingerprint and follow you around.

4. How Google Tracks Everything You Do and How to Stop It

A well-made video from Proton that peels back the curtain on the world's nosiest corporation and everything they hoard about you. Of course, just by watching it, Google knows that too now.

Don't do anything I wouldn't do, and see you Monday.
Colin